Scientists are spurning old fashioned plastic and turning to salmon sperm in search for sustainable alternatives.
Scientists from Tianjin University in China have combined two short strands of DNA from salmon sperm with a chemical from vegetable oil that binds them together
What this creates is a squishy material known as hydrogel. The gel is then molded into different shapes and freeze-dried
This removes the moisture, which makes it solidify. And wham, bam, thank you maam, you have environmentally friendly sperm plastic. Researchers have already created a cup, puzzle pieces and a DNA molecule from the eco-friendly plastic. The creation of reusable, salmon-sperm-derived plastic packaging produces 97%-fewer CO2 emissions than polystyrene.
Plastic is a big problem for the environment as it is made from petrochemicals that require a lot of heat and toxic substances to manufacture
It also takes centuries to break down and very little is recycled, so this is positive news that certain little swimmers could soon help the world use less plastic.